Defence against Jo Masters?
by SassyJ
Summary: AU. Stuart's alone in hospital, coming down from Peters' attack, wondering what his future will be... Someone comes to see him. Rated T because I am not quite sure where this is going yet.
1. Chapter 1

* * *

_Something I was reading earlier got me thinking... what follows is short, and kind of weird and AU for tonight's episode. Apologies to Harry Potter for the title. Please R&R. There may be more to come._

He was alone now, all his colleagues had left, and he had all the time in the world to feel lost and scared and so very alone. His whole body felt like hell, like a fire was spreading through his veins, he was feeling hot and cold at once, which all added to the fear and panic he was feeling.

She walked up to the nurse's station and asked the way, a nurse pointed the room out and she headed towards it. Jo wasn't sure just why she was there, Stuart was not exactly her best friend, but he'd been quite sweet to her following the hideous ending to the Statham case and she had been horrified by what had happened to him. _Pop in, offer him a bit of comfort_, quite how she could comfort him with that _horror_ hanging over him she really wasn't sure, but she wanted to try.

She walked over to the bed, and called his name. Terrified, pain filled brown eyes turned towards her, and she was horrified at the state he was in. She sat down in the chair next to the bed, and took his hand, _no way am I leaving him on his own, like this._ His grip was like a vice.

"I was going to say, _how are you feeling,_ but I suppose I already know the answer to that one." She kept her tone light, and was rewarded with the ghost of Stuart's normal cocky smile, and the panic in his eyes eased a little, as did his fierce grip on her hand. "Thought I'd come and keep you company for a while," she continued, "not like I have anything else to do tonight..." the tears that had been building for a while slid quietly down his cheeks, and her expression softened "...no...no...Stuart...please" her own voice sounded shaky as she gently stroked his hair, feeling sick in her heart that she couldn't really promise that, but needing to offer him some kind of reassurance. The floodgates were open though, and he curled up on his side, still clinging to her hand, while she held on and promised him anything she could think of, anything to reach through his misery.

On impulse, she kicked off her boots, and carefully avoiding the drip feed and various wires that were attached to him, she sat on the bed next to him. Grateful for the human contact, Stuart leaned against her, Jo was unprepared for her own response, and surprised herself by putting her arms around him. She settled back as he relaxed in her arms, as long as he needed her she was going to stay, she began to talk about whatever came into her head, keeping her voice low and soothing, at last his eyes were beginning to close.

She awoke, stiff and uncomfortable, at 5 am. Stuart was fast asleep in her arms, and she was relieved to see he was looking better. She suspected that she was looking considerably worse, and that she needed to get home and get herself showered and changed for work. She looked down at him again, his head was resting against her shoulder, he looked relaxed in sleep, less pain etched into his features, _he's really very attractive_. That thought popped unbidden into her mind and she squashed it down, _ridiculous, even if __**he**__ were your type, my girl._

She knew she had to wake him, _but he looks so peaceful_, because she couldn't just get up and go without telling him.

"Stuart" she called his name quietly "Stuart" a bit louder, and he stirred, "come on honey..." she couldn't quite believe she'd said that, "darn it..." his eyes slowly opened, "sorry love... but I have to go." She eased down off the bed, gently, so as not to hurt him. Yanked her boots on. Impulsively as she grabbed her bag, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. Turned to go.

"Jo." His voice sounded hoarse and was barely above a whisper, but she turned back. "Thanks." He said.

She smiled. "Anytime." And was surprised to discover that she really meant it.


	2. Dazed and Confused

* * *

_Short filler about a couple of days later, (because I have just been savaged by the evil plot bunny (yet again))... perhaps love changes everything? (Apologies to Lord Lloyd-Webber)_

* * *

Stuart sat at his desk, aimlessly going through paper, making busy whenever someone came through the door. Most of the rest of the team were out, and he was relieved about that. It was difficult to handle just the sheer amount of sympathy. He wasn't given to showing his feelings in public, in fact he was usually pretty successful at hiding them behind some quick quip. But he was coming up empty on that one right now.

And for some reason he felt shy around Jo, _which was really stupid._ He couldn't put his finger on why and that bothered him, Stuart liked to be in control of things, shy simply wasn't his thing. The fact that she'd cared enough to stay when his whole world seemed to be burning down around him, and she'd seen him with all his defences down, both thrilled and appalled him. Even now, if he closed his eyes, he could remember the smell of her perfume and the feeling of belonging in her arms..._belonging?_ He quickly slammed the door on that memory, that was something he definitely did not want to get into here and now. Unbidden, the memory of her fingers gently stroking his hair as he cried his heart out, came back to bite him. He clamped down fast on the flush of strange pleasure that gave him. _She cared... SHIT, Stuart, mate, pull yourself together. DC Jo Masters is a card carrying lesbian who is proud of being a lesbian and she is NEVER going to look at YOU twice. You have no chance, so pull yourself together..._

He bent over the report again, _she cared about me..._

This was no good, he wasn't getting anywhere, and obsessing about how much Jo might or might not care about him personally was winding him up into a fit. He pushed his chair back and got to his feet, he needed to get out of here before he made a complete idiot of himself.

* * *

Jo Masters was having a bad ten minutes. She'd seen Stuart come in, he'd looked at her, blushed slightly, acknowledged her presence and then dived at his desk like a hunted deer caught in the headlights. Now he was watching her, _thinking that I haven't noticed him watching me_. For some weird reason, and she wasn't really prepared to try and fathom it out, she was noticing things about him that hadn't really occurred to her before. She paused and tried to analyze what was going on in her head before it drove her completely crazy. True, he's matinee idol handsome, very Rudolph Valentino, and those brown eyes...

_It's the brown eyes, those beautiful expressive eyes, full of pain and fear, like a whipped pup. Jo, you're losing it, Stuart Turner is a man... you don't get interested in men... okay, there was that one time... that was years ago... I'm immune... you're not immune, or the memory of beautiful brown eyes ravaged by fear and pain wouldn't be turning you into a jelly right now._

_Dammit. This is no good._ She pushed her chair back and reached for her bag.

* * *

Stuart had been so intent on getting out the door, without being noticed, that it was inevitable that they should collide with each other.

"Jo." his voice squeaked slightly, but he stuck out his hand trying to cover. "Thank you, for being so kind the other night." To his own ears his voice sounded rushed and a bit breathy.

"Anytime, Stuart." Her voice sounded so cool, so neutral. He felt so disappointed.

They reached for the same door handle at once, and their fingers brushed. The tingle was unmistakeable. Whatever their differences, a paradigm shift had taken place.


	3. Remember Me

_Okay, the Improbability Drive is stuck... the evil plot bunny is still biting... and since certain members should share responsibility for this flight of insanity ... I dedicate this to mrs-stuart-turner, Gem6 and DanielleE for actually reading this far, and Pink Lemons for writing this idea into my head in the first place ... ;)  
_

* * *

Stuart was back on familiar territory, partnered with Stevie, he could concentrate on a mild flirtation and getting a grip on things. _Yeah... Right..._ A distant memory of perfume was still wafting around in his brain like a wraith in the night, and lying in his own bed he had only to close his eyes to bring back memories of feeling safe and cared for ... and this was definitely doing his head in. He was DS Stuart Turner, fast track copper; he even had his own spot on television and he didn't need anyone. Just had to get his mind back into the game. _Stop it... you know you don't stand even the vaguest chance of resolving this feeling... so just forget it before they cart you off in a straitjacket..._

"SARGE"

Stuart jumped. "Huh!"

Stevie glared at him, "Wakey, wakey!" She handed him the binoculars, "the target ... remember."

"Errr ... yes." Embarrassed to be caught out daydreaming _again_. Stuart grabbed the binoculars and peered through them. The park bench came into focus, and there she was, leaning lovingly on Mickey's shoulder, _wish it was me ... no dammit, you don't... for god's sake... concentrate._

A watching and waiting brief was what they'd been given. Information had fallen into Sam Nixon's hands that a certain well known drug dealer was back on the ground. Which is why Mickey and Jo were playing love's young dream on the park bench, and he and Stevie Moss were stuck in the car together. Only they'd been there two hours, and they were all fed up.

Stuart made his mind up, this was a complete waste of time, _and if I don't stop staring at Jo and Mickey together I am going to go stark raving mad._ "This is a complete bust. I'm pulling the plug."

* * *

She could feel his eyes on the back of her neck, those beautiful expressive brown eyes, _and like it or not, girl, he's exotic, dark, handsome, a charismatic bad boy, and be honest with yourself, you like him... and he was kind and concerned, which is something Stuart normally keeps very well hidden, during that Statham thing last year ... and he was the one who kept going ... kept people out looking for you ... you owe him... seeing him lying in that hospital bed, thinking that he might die ... something's changed and you know it._

Sitting on a park bench next to Mickey, pretending to be young lovers out enjoying a picnic, she could close her eyes and remember. _The weight of his body pressed against yours, his head resting against your shoulder, those exotic good looks marred by pain, you just wanted to hold him and make it better for him._

Well Stuart was going to be okay. Mainly because Peters had lied about the state of the needle. But he'd admitted the truth in the end. _Stuart's making a valiant attempt to put it all behind him, so should you._ But there was the issue of remembrance.

On some very fundamental level, she wanted and needed Stuart Turner. And he knew she was gay and therefore off limits, so if he had any feelings for her, he'd be keeping them so far under wraps she'd never be able to get to them. _Impasse._

The radio crackled, "Mickey, Jo, I'm calling this off."

"Understood." Mickey grinned at his companion, "Well that was pretty pointless, but it beats an afternoon of paperwork any day."

Jo was grateful for the diversion and grinned back. "Sure does, hun."

The friendly little exchange was not lost on their Sergeant.

Stevie Moss smirked quietly to herself. _Well this is a turn up for the books, and one very weird little secret._ She looked up at her Sergeant, underneath that control freak exterior, and when he wasn't trying to be a cocky git, there was a really nice guy trying to get out. She just couldn't figure out why he should choose to be such an arse at times. _Now this._ Something that she had never in her wildest dreams imagined happening. Cocky smoothie Stuart Turner falling for gay tomboy Jo. The really odd part, was that somehow she could see it working out, he needs someone thoughtful and caring like Jo, and she likes him...

Stevie interrupted this promising chain of thought as Jo and Mickey joined them in the back seat, and was in time to see the swift look in the rear view mirror that Stuart gave Jo, who was sitting behind him. It was the kind of look a hungry man might give the last fudge sundae in the shop. _Interesting... _

Jo sighed quietly to herself. She could tell by the rigid set of his head and the over emphatic gear changes that Stuart was in a bad mood, and she had a strange feeling that the bad mood was linked directly to her and the little door handle incident the other day. He'd gone from leaping about like a startled hare to certain bravado in her presence which was actually quite irritating. It was as though he was determined to prove something to himself and her, _which really isn't necessary, I get the message, you are embarrassed by what happened in the hospital ... which is killing me an inch at a time ... but I can't tell you, because if you're freaked out now, what will you be like if I tell you that I want you..._

Stuart's eyes were drawn irresistibly to the rear view mirror, Jo was looking out of the window, but he still caught the flash of hurt in her eyes. _I did that. Shit._ He didn't have a clue what to do. He wished he could have rewound the clock to last August when he'd held her in his arms and actually had the chance. _But you would have screwed it up, like with Sam, just like any other girls you've met. Losing Sam was a big enough hurt, wrecking your friendship with Jo could be an even bigger hurt._


	4. Seek, and you will find! Part 1

_In which Stevie, Grace and Kezia share a secret ... and Stuart finds a new little friend._

_I just know there's a softy side to Stuart which doesn't get much of an airing, so decided to bring it out in the open..._

* * *

"Immigration believe that the boat sank close to shore. They found the dead woman here..." Jack pointed to the map pinned to the noticeboard behind him, "but there are indications that there was a small child in the boat, and as yet, they have not been able to account for her."

He looked around the room at the hastily assembled team, CID and Uniform, it was all hands on deck because this was a child, unknown age, intelligence from one of the live immigrants picked up suggested that it might be a little girl, five years old, Chinese.

"All we know for certain is that the boat sank and the mother drowned." He pinched the top of his nose, this one made him feel sick, little child, lost, scared and alone in a strange foreign land, unable to communicate with anybody she was likely to run into, _god knows what may have happened to her._ Pulled himself together. "Okay, ladies and gentlemen, you have your positions, let's get on with it."

* * *

Stevie was partnered with Stuart again. He drove in silence, which wasn't really like Stuart, and Stevie looked up at him with some concern, "Sarge?"

"Huh." He sounded absent.

"Sarge, are you okay."

"Yes, fine ... why do you ask?" His voice sounded odd and the quick glance he gave her shocked her, _he looks like he's about to cry_. And that definitely was not like Stuart. For a moment she wondered if he was suffering some hang over side effects from the heroin that had been shot into his system.

Then suddenly he pulled over. "Sarge?"

"Just be a minute." He got out of the car and disappeared into a small shop. Emerging a minute or two later with a plastic bag, which he lobbed onto the back seat of the car.

Stevie was dying to know what was in the bag, but taking a peek was out of the question. They reached the search site they'd been given, off to their left they could see Uniform doing a slow walk through of the waste ground, Jo and Kezia, and Grace and Mickey were somewhere off to their right. Stevie swept the area with binoculars, then heard a rustling behind her, turned back towards the car and was in time to see Stuart slip something into his jacket pocket. _The plastic bag..._ She peered into the car _...Wagon Wheels?_ This was definitely getting stranger by the minute.

Half an hour later and it seemed like they'd covered every possible hiding place for a small child. Stevie was about to suggest that they give up this derelict building and move onto the next one, and turned round to say as much, but Stuart's attention was focused elsewhere.

"Sarge?"

"A minute, Stevie..." there was a small space through which a little child could have crawled, he was far too big to get through, _so have to go over_. He scrambled over the pipes. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he could see something in the corner, crouched down. A little dirty face was turned up toward him, eyes sparking with fear...but she didn't make a sound, just cowered away.

Heart racing with relief, Stuart reached into his pocket, and gently waved the wrapped biscuit. The little girl's eyes focused on the bright wrapping, and hunger overcame fear. She came towards him, quickly he split open the biscuit wrapping so that she could take a bite, she was filthy and cold, so he stripped off his jacket and wrapped her in it.

"Sarge?" he'd almost forgotten about Stevie. "What's going on?"

"I've got her. We're coming back through." He didn't care that his voice sounded a bit high and breathy, the relief was just too much. He lifted the little girl in his arms, one little arm slid round his neck, while she burrowed against him still nibbling on the biscuit. He could hear Stevie move away from the pipes, presumably to radio the news in. With some difficulty he climbed over, holding onto the little girl and climbing the pipes was a struggle, but he managed it.

* * *

Jo, Kezia and Grace were by the car when Stuart emerged from the run down building with Stevie in tow.

Jo stared at him, he was absolutely filthy, nearly as dirty as the child in his arms, his chinos were torn and covered in grease and muck from the machinery, he looked a mess. Bizarrely, he'd never looked better to her eyes. She stepped forward "You look a mess." Their eyes met, and Jo felt the jolt right down to her toes.

Still cuddling the little girl, Stuart leaned against the car, he was too tired to keep everything straight in his head, and right then he needed the reassurance that someone cared, he knew letting his guard down in front of Jo might be a mistake but the emotions of finding the child just weren't about to be contained. So he'd looked at Jo with all pretense stripped away, looked into those beautiful solemn blue eyes with all his heart laid bare, and was stunned by what he could see shining back at him.

Jo was stunned, she couldn't imagine he'd feel that way, and there was no mistaking that he did. What they were going to do about that knowledge she was having a hard time imagining, but that they would work it out somehow, she was certain. She felt humbled by the gift, true he'd dropped all defenses in the hospital, but he was ill, frightened and in pain then, now was very different. Suddenly it seemed that they were the only two people left on earth.

* * *

_Oh my god!!_ Stevie, Grace and Kezia exchanged looks. _That was simply too weird for words, tomboy Jo and super-smoothie Stuart??_

**TBC...**


	5. Seek, and you will find! Part 2

_The evil plot bunny is sitting in the corner, sniggering... this is mostly domestic... but hopefully satisfies those of you who like things in the "awwww cute" category..._

* * *

Her name was Mai. And she was 5. Mummy and Daddy had disappeared. Apart from being cold, wet, hungry and alone she was remarkably unscathed. Social Services were involved and there was no real reason for Stuart, Jo and Stevie still to be hanging around the hospital. Accept that Stuart had no intention of leaving until he was certain that she would be okay.

Mai had other ideas. She had been handled, and poked and prodded and looked over by strangers who spoke to her in a language that she didn't understand, all she really wanted was something familiar, and the woman who took hold of her hand and spoke to her, Mai took instant exception to. Something about her bossy tone of voice was just too much. Mai shrieked at the top of her voice and bit the hand that held hers, then bursting into tears threw herself bodily at the man who had found her.

Stuart crouched down and caught her as she hurled herself at him, scooped her up and glared at the woman that Social Services had sent along. "Don't you think she's had enough of strangers?" Mai wrapped her arms tightly round his neck and glared defiantly at the woman she had just bitten.

Clare Jones, the social worker, frowned. "I've organised a Chinese family for her, she will be fine." She held out her hand, with the clear imprint of Mai's teeth upon it; Mai shrank back against Stuart's shoulder and clung even tighter.

"I think she has other ideas." Stuart cleared his throat, which was quite difficult considered the death grip Mai had round his neck, "how about, I look after her for a bit." And turned his eyes to Mai to avoid the incredulous expressions on the faces of his two colleagues. Truth be told, he was fairly amazed himself.

"Well, it isn't usual, there will be a lot of paperwork." Clare Jones looked him up and down, "you're a single man." She looked at him doubtfully.

"I'm a trained police officer, I have a perfectly respectable home life, no girlfriends coming round at all hours, I also have a spare bedroom and she will be safe with me." Stuart wasn't particularly comfortable with revealing the information about his current lack of romantic attachments in front of Jo and Stevie, _god, it makes me sound desperate..._ but he sensed he was winning and that Clare Jones might even consider letting him keep Mai for the time being.

He crouched down again, letting Mai stand on her own two feet, and taking her hands from around his neck, he held onto them. "Do you want to come home with me?"

Mai hadn't got a clue about what the large friendly man was saying to her, but it sounded warm and reassuring, and the fact that he was saying it at her eye level made all the difference. She nodded. And was rewarded by a warm, friendly smile which made her feel much better. She smiled back. Took her hands from his and threw her arms around his neck again. Stuart hugged her, and scooped her up in his arms again. "Well, that's settled."

"It's very far from settled, DS Turner," Clare Jones looked annoyed, "but under the circumstances I see I have little option but to agree." she pinned him with a glare, "this is only a temporary arrangement."

"Of course." Stuart felt he had to concede that point. "But she will be safe with me for a few days."

* * *

Sitting on his desk in CID, swinging her legs and munching on another Wagon Wheel, Mai settled herself in happily. Oblivious to the amused looks that she was getting from the other officers in the room. Stuart, on the other hand, was not oblivious to the amusement of his colleagues, or to the mixed amusement and annoyance being directed at him from management offices. But the happy look on Mai's face convinced him that he'd done the right thing.

"Stuart, do you have the slightest idea what you're going to do with her?" Jo took pity on him, "you can't feed her on Wagon Wheels, and she could do with a change of clothes."

Stuart hadn't thought past the second that Mai's little arms had closed round his neck in a death grip of panic, and that he wasn't going to abandon her to her fate. If it cost him in the street cred stakes, _well so be it_. His recent brush with possible death had changed his outlook on life considerably. And it was good to have something else to focus on other than his growing feelings for Jo. "Er ... No." he admitted.

Jo brushed a hand over Mai's tousled hair, and got a glare in return. "Well," she sighed, "we'd better take you shopping then."

Stuart felt unreasonably chuffed at the news, until he'd processed the _we_ part. "We?" he questioned.

"I have no experience in buying clothes for children," Jo spread her hands wide, "so Stevie and I figured we'd better invite DI Nixon along too."

A small part of Stuart wished that the ground would open up at his feet and swallow him whole, a slightly larger part wondered how Sam was going to take buying clothes for a child that wasn't quite his, but definitely wasn't hers, but by far the largest part was relieved that he wasn't going to have to work out such things as girls' clothes and what to feed a five year old, on his own.

* * *

Two hours later, and a shopping trolley full, he was starting to reconsider that relief. Sam and Stevie had picked out a number of nice little outfits from the supermarket for Mai, and Jo had done the food shopping, the bill had come to a staggering one hundred and twenty two pounds.

But later, when he'd bathed Mai, and put her in her new pyjamas and dressing gown, and she was sitting on his lap, all sleepy and warm, he knew he'd done the right thing.


	6. Domestic Harmony and a Painful Ending

_I am assuming that I am not alone in wishing that DS Phil Hunter had not moved on... after all, now Sam has no one to drive her crazy and Stuart has no one to carry on the insane competition with._

* * *

He'd finally settled into some sort of routine, and it had taken nearly a week. Stuart felt he was actually getting the hang of the surrogate dad thing after almost three weeks. If he was going to keep her, and Social Services had been very grudging about that one, Mai had to go to school. Her lack of English was a bit of a barrier, but not much, and she picked up things quickly. The way she called him "Stuart" in her funny little accent gave him a thrill of pride. She was so smart. He had got used to dropping her off in the mornings, and then child-minder arranged by Social Services picking her up afterwards, collecting her from the child-minder, or sometimes having her brought back to the station, to sit on his desk and wait for him to finish work. He kept a stash of Wagon Wheels in his top drawer, specially for her.

Mai sat on Stuart's desk and swung her legs, nibbling on a Wagon Wheel. She didn't understand why her parents weren't there any more, but Stuart kept her from feeling sad. He was so funny and nice. Some of the others she wasn't quite sure about though.

Max Carter stopped by Stuart's desk to drop some paperwork into his in-tray. He ruffled Mai's hair. She didn't like him much, so she scowled, and when he grinned with amusement, bared her teeth at him.

"Turner, this child is half savage."

Stuart didn't look up from his typing, "well, only pet the tame half then."

Disgruntled, Max moved on. Stuart looked at Mai and winked, she grinned back.

* * *

The affectionate exchange was not lost on the ladies in the room. Samantha Nixon suffered a pang of guilt and pain, _Stuart would have made a wonderful father_, when she'd first been roped into the shopping trip she'd almost been floored by the cruel irony of it. Stuart carrying Mai, like she was his own, her little arms around his neck, the trusting way she'd leaned into him. By the time they'd reached the toy aisle, and Stuart had picked up a little pink teddy bear, just the right size for Mai's little hands to hold, she'd had to excuse herself to powder her nose. Now looking at her sitting there, dressed in a little pink t-shirt and a swirly pink skirt several shades darker, she looked the picture of health and happiness, and so right with Stuart. Regrets, well Sam had more than a few, but then there was someone else to consider.

Phil. Sam looked across at him, at his own desk, head down, shuffling paper. Which would have worked, only she'd seen him take the same piece of paper out of his tray almost half an hour ago. The really painful part of that is that while he was all wrong for her, younger than her, impossibly unreliable, his womanising ways and indiscretions the stuff of legend, he truly held her heart. Now she didn't know what to do. It was out of the question, her need for Phil. And after she had blown him off the last time, she was pretty sure that his own instinct of self preservation would prevent him from becoming involved again.

Jo watched Stuart and Mai. A tiny part of her had been skeptical at first, Stuart was more Latin Lover Boy than good father material. But she'd been surprised, and delighted that she was positively surprised, Stuart was better than even he knew, now all he had to do was drop the wise guy, be-an-arse act that made everyone angry and infuriated with him. He was a talented, intelligent and caring police officer with a lot to give, _and when he smiles at you, something funny happens inside..._ He caught her watching him and smiled. Whatever it was that they had, it was growing between them, and Jo was still wondering what they were going to do about it. The first shift had come when he'd saved her life, from the moment she'd hugged him outside the station, at first out of sheer relief and gratitude, and then when she'd pulled back, and seen the very real distress on his face, and that, whatever he said, and Stuart was very, very good at covering his true feelings, _whatever he was saying, you could read his heart in his eyes._

Then there was the needle incident, almost two months ago now, when she'd gone to offer some crumbs of comfort and ended up holding him while he fell apart. That it had felt so right when he was sleeping in her arms, was yet another little thing that Jo was trying to avoid.

Now Mai. Jo smiled again. He'd rescued her, he'd taken her home, and now it appeared that they were well on their way to becoming father and daughter. And something about that tugged very hard at her heartstrings.

Stevie Moss and Kezia Walker exchanged glances and smirked. Stuart as daddy was both amusing and strangely appealing. And Mai was brilliant fun, very perceptive, she was perfectly capable of making her feelings felt as well as known. She'd bitten the social worker twice and Max Carter once because he had had a disagreement with Stuart.

All things considered, life was proceeding in a remarkably quiet and orderly manner. It was too good to last.

* * *

It was a Thursday, and Stuart and Stevie were on their way to arrest a local small time dealer and fence known as Jake Jackson, only to find that Phil and Jo had got there first. So Phil and Jo had taken the front and in theory Stuart and Stevie were getting into position around the back.

Unfortunately, they'd been seen, and the man they were after was fleeing.

Stuart ran for the back alley hoping to cut Jackson off, and it all went horribly wrong. The blow from the car sent him flying backwards. The blow wasn't too bad, and the flying backwards was okay, it was the metal fence post which he struck his shoulder on that did the damage. He hit the ground hard. _The worst part was that oblivion didn't rise up and claim him._ Agonizingly, Stuart was fully conscious. He knew his arm was broken, he'd heard the sickeningly loud crunch as his upper arm connected extremely hard with the post. He could hear his colleagues screaming his name, but all his energies were focused on the agony that was radiating out from his smashed shoulder.

The next three or four hours passed in a blur of doctors, nurses, his colleagues buzzing around like flies, x-rays, the best part of three quarters of an hour spent stablizing the surgical neck fracture of his right humerus, and immobilizing his shoulder; and calming Mai's tears when she'd been brought to St Hugh's by Stevie and Kezia. Stuart sat on the edge of the bed, his good arm around Mai and wondered how he would manage, he was right handed, and his right arm was now in a cast from knuckles to shoulder, sling supported and strapped firmly to his side; but he was determined to go home.

The door opened. Jo put her head in and looked at him. "Well, I suppose since you're determined to be so stubborn, I'm just going to have to take the two of you home."

Stuart's heart skipped a beat and he tried to read what was in her eyes, but Jo ducked out before he could.


	7. Pain and Pleasure

_Something domestic and a promise for the future... only a short chapter ... because something momentous deserves its own space..._

* * *

Having only one hand to do things was a nightmare that Stuart wished he could wake up from. They'd shot him full of painkillers at the hospital, so the ache in his shoulder was manageable, but the inconvenience of not being able to do things for himself was driving him slightly crazy.

Jo had had to deal with Mai's bath, and dinner was on the go. Stuart desperately wanted to take a shower himself, but that was currently out of the question, so he had to make do with a brisk, one handed wash and brush up. Now he struggled into his briefs and a pair of old tracksuit bottoms that he hadn't worn in quite a long while. Putting a shirt on would require Jo's help, and for a moment masculine pride warred with his need to be close to Jo. Masculine pride won, just. His defenses against Jo Masters were basically non existent. He got to his feet and headed into the kitchen.

"Smells good."

Jo turned round, "I should hope so, I've worked hard at this." she winked at Mai. She'd decided to do something that he could manage with a fork one handed, somehow she couldn't imagine Stuart's stubborn male pride coping with her cutting his dinner up for him. She looked at him more closely, he looked tired, stressed and very beat up. There was a small gap between the bandages round his shoulder and the top of the cast on his arm, the flesh was streaked with some very ugly purple bruises, his hip and side had more of the same where the car had struck him. But it was the look in his eyes that made her catch her breath; half hopeful, half defiant.

"Oh Stuart." her gentle sympathy was nearly too much, and when she stepped closer to slip an arm round his waist and give him a careful hug, it was very nearly his total undoing. His defenses weren't so much down, as crumbled to dust. Only the nagging ache in his shoulder and the powerful desire not to spoil whatever they had, kept any kind of control over his emotions.

* * *

Later, after dinner was done, and Mai had finished begging for bedtime stories, Stuart sat down on his bed. Jo arranged the pillows, so that he would have some support behind his shoulder. He was completely exhausted, the pain in his shoulder was not so much a dull ache as a needlepoint jabbing him with each tiny movement. Jo finished adjusting the covers and turned to go and sort out her own sleeping arrangements on his sofa.

"Don't go." he stretched out his good hand. Jo took it in both of hers and sat down close to him.

"I'm here."

"Jo ... I" the ache wasn't just in his shoulder, it was in his heart too, and he couldn't even think of the right words to say. It was just going to come out, his defenses were gone, and ...

Jo leaned in and gently pressed her lips to his, he closed his eyes, and took his hand from hers and gently pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Her hands slid very gently round his neck, careful to avoid his injured shoulder. Their differences melted away as they carefully explored each other.

Jo sighed. She had never thought that a man's kiss would mean anything to her and she wasn't even exactly sure why she had kissed him, but somehow Stuart had got under her skin. She hadn't changed as such, but a part of her somehow was now including cocky lady's man Stuart Turner in her life.

Stuart could think of a thousand reasons why this should not be happening and millions more why it was not wise, but he wanted it with all his heart. Despite the nagging ache in his shoulder and the heavy cast which was definitely a passion killer, he wanted Jo ..._shit, I love Jo._ That revelation nearly floored him; he prided himself on his detachment, on his ability to keep work and pleasure divided, but somehow Sun Hill had changed that. First Sam, and despite his current state of happiness, he regretted his own failings that had caused her to leave him and acknowledged to himself for the first time that it had mostly been his own fault, and now Jo. _Beautiful, bright, passionate, committed Jo._

Whatever it took to win Jo, he wanted to do it. Anything could be worked out, he just wanted and needed her in his life.

They pulled apart slightly, he was exhausted, bruised and in pain, but perversely he had never felt better in his life. Jo rested her forehead against his for a second, then making another decision which surprised her, she slid round on the bed so that he could lean against her. Wherever this was leading, it was definitely going no further tonight.

Stuart leaned into her, content to just cuddle up. The spirit was willing to continue exploring the possibilities, but his battered body was saying no.

That promise could wait.


	8. For the longest time

_Dedicated to the delightful people who keep saying such lovely things about my scratchings, so in no particular order, I have the following to thank: mrs-stuart-turner, Gem6, theBillNut, DanielleE, Deliah07 and DebraRocks. I should also mention the incomparable Doug Rao (Stuart Turner), and equally brilliant Sally Rogers (Jo Masters) for being amazingly good actors in the first place. And finally, Billy Joel, for the longest time, which is still rattling around in my brain..._

* * *

She sat up in bed, and tried to make sense of last night. They'd fallen into a routine, Jo would go home with Stuart and Mai, and help him cook dinner, get Mai bathed, hair brushed and into bed, followed by the obligatory bedtime story, then somehow they'd wind up sleeping in the same bed together. It had been all very well while Stuart's right arm was in a cast, they could maintain a pretence of some kind of neutrality, but the cast had been taken off Stuart's arm almost two weeks ago. Since then, she'd been on tenterhooks, waiting for him to pounce.

He hadn't. He withdrawn slightly and waited. Which confused her. He still wanted her, wanted more than the several fairly chaste kisses that they'd shared. She knew that. He seemed to be waiting for something. What that something might have been she wasn't sure, but then things had changed subtly yet again.

Last night. He'd slid his hand into her hair, and kissed her as he had the other nights, she'd leaned closer, and deepened the kiss, slowly his other hand had slid round her waist and pulled her closer. She had wanted more, and her hands had gently explored his body, watching the change come over his face as her fingernails had found sensitive spots. His hands were returning the compliment, and the evening had slipped out of focus.

So she sat up in bed, he was still next to her, face down, totally relaxed, one hand resting on her thigh. For a moment she felt almost angry, _how can he be so relaxed, so calm, when I'm so confused._ And she was confused, she had made long, slow, infinitely tender and gentle love _WITH_ Stuart Turner. That they had both wanted to made not the slightest difference to her confusion.

She took the opportunity to study him, the long line of his back, the tanned olive skin, his modesty barely preserved by the white sheet which was caught under his body, _handsome, athletic Latin Lover Boy_, well that last wasn't quite right, Stuart was no boy. _So where do we go from here?_

He shifted, and his hand slid up her thigh, and he gathered her closer, and kissed her naked hip.

"Stuart."

"Mmmmhh"

"Stuart." she almost snapped.

His eyes opened and he sat up.

"What."

Jo spread her hands wide. "I truly don't know what. But I know I can't change. And I'm scared that you want more than I can give." There it was out. She had to say it.

"And that means" he sounded wary.

"Stuart." she put her hands up to his face, and looked into his eyes, "what do you want from me?"

He took a deep breath, _it's now or never_, "you. I know I can't have all of you. But I want whatever I can have."

"You can't change me." Jo suddenly felt desperate, they were at a point of no return, their friendship hung in the balance.

"I don't want to. You wouldn't be you if you were different." he felt shaky, he was fighting for everything he wanted, he'd waited until he was certain, because he knew that the landslide change would carry them past the point of no return, they'd burned the bridge down, now he could win or lose. He so badly wanted to win. More than anything he'd ever fought for or over in his entire life. "I'll be satisfied with whatever you feel you can give. Because I want to keep us together."

"This isn't because of Mai?" suddenly suspicious.

"No... yes, partly..." he couldn't lie, not to Jo. "But not like how you're thinking." he was pleading, he couldn't lose her. _Say it Stuart, or you'll lose her._

He took a deep breath, the suspicion was still in her eyes, and he could sense her withdrawal. _All or nothing._

"Jo, I love you."

Silence.

"I knew last year, when you were in the hands of the mad woman, Rachel Inns, I was so scared.," he was babbling, he knew it, "I tried to convince myself that we were just colleagues, I even told that CSE Hart that you were just a colleague, that I didn't do the work buddy thing, but it wasn't true. I was sitting there lying my heart out, because I couldn't face the truth, that I loved you then, and I love you now..." he trailed off, her face hadn't changed, his eyes blurred.

"Oh Stuart." her hands slid back round his neck, and she pulled him close. "Oh hun." her voice sounded shaky, and something very like hope darted through him, he put his arms tight around her, and pulled her back onto his lap, holding her close.

"I don't know where we're going. I don't even know if this is right or wrong, but Jo, I need you, and this is me, not Mai." tears were running freely down his cheeks, and to his surprise, Jo seemed to be crying too. "Of course, I had to find someone that Mai wouldn't bite.." tried to make a joke, and was rewarded by Jo's beautiful smile.


	9. Keeping a Secret

_I had meant to end it there... but the plot bunny savaged me again and there will be more... and some SP action thrown in for good measure..._

* * *

Jo lay on her side and watched him while he was sleeping, part of her still couldn't quite believe she was in the midst of a passionate affair with her male colleague. Stuart was such a mass of contradictions, and had built a fairly ruthless defense system against anyone getting close. Wherever this was going, and she was certain that it didn't have a great deal of future, Jo was simply happy for the present, it was definitely a gift. She was seeing a side to him which no one else had ever seen and found she really liked the softer, gentler side which he kept well hidden.

Even now, sprawled across half the bed apparently totally relaxed and fast asleep, he had one hand on her hip, as though he was reassuring himself that she was there and wasn't going to leave him. Stuart was so spectacularly good at being a totally arrogant arse, that it was small wonder people didn't warm to his style. But she got to see the sweet caring side, which only came out when they were alone, or when Mai was present. When he'd told her that he loved her, Jo could see the sincerity and the fear in his eyes.

The blossoming of their relationship was something that was relatively easy to keep secret from the rest of CID, _purely on the grounds that they'd never put the two of us together,_ Jo smiled ruefully. Privacy wasn't particularly a problem, Stuart didn't really form the kind of relationships at work which would have led to the sharing of such a momentous confidence, Jo felt it was better for everyone if she and Stuart were the only two in the know, so to speak, which left Mai. Stuart's little foster child was bright, perceptive and quick on the uptake, besides she was sleeping in the bedroom next door. There had been a couple of anxious moments when Jo thought that the little girl might inadvertently spill the beans, but for all that Mai was only five, she was a shrewd little thing completely devoted to Stuart.

Jo pondered that devotion for a moment. Stuart had rescued Mai after her parents had been lost in a boat sinking on the river. He'd found the wet, cold, utterly terrified child and brought her out of the cold, dark, empty factory building where she'd been hiding. So it was small wonder that the little girl should cling to the first person who was kind to her after such a horrendous experience. But that Stuart had abandoned his usual defenses so quickly in front of herself, Stevie and Kezia stunned her. While it appeared that the trained social worker, Claire Jones, could do no right, Stuart had instantly got through to the little girl. Whether it was kneeling down at her eye level and talking to her, or whether it was just Mai not wanting to experience any more complete strangers, Stuart had obviously done all the right things. Anyway, Mai wanted to be with Stuart, and he clearly wanted to keep her. Mai had energetically defended her right to stay with him, Jo smiled remembering the two or three skirmishes with Claire Jones, who wanted to move her to a family, during which Mai had demonstrated her firm dislike of the woman. In the end, Mai had got what both she and Stuart appeared to want very badly. Stuart had gone to court, and it was all ratified by the Judge. Mai was his to keep.

On the subject of Mai, CID was fairly torn. Stevie, Kezia, and Terry were re-evaluating their opinions of DS Stuart Turner, his fellow Detective Sergeants Max Carter and Phil Hunter thought it was some sort of elaborate trick to win back DI Nixon, _if only they knew_. Jo frowned, that was the one real cloud in her current state of happiness. Sam Nixon, her friend. Sam and Stuart had had a passionate affair, Sam had fallen pregnant, Stuart had panicked somewhat, and made a complete mess of it, tragically Sam had miscarried and in the process, somehow Phil had become involved, and Sam and Stuart's relationship had collapsed.

Sam still had some feelings for Stuart, and he had some feelings left for her. The most intense was his regret that he'd hurt her so much. But he couldn't tell her, and that was a subject which Jo wished that both her friend and her lover could find some closure on.

She put her hand out and stroked his shoulder, remembering the day that led to where they were now, replaying it in her mind, the car, Stuart being hit, the sickeningly loud crunch as his shoulder slammed into the fence post, the way he'd clung firmly to her hand while they'd waited for the ambulance, the confusing and stressful round of x-rays, and examinations and the painful process of having the fracture stabilized... Stuart moved closer and his hand slid up her body, interrupting Jo's reverie.

His eyes opened slowly, "Mornin..." he whispered, and pulled gently, Jo slid closer to him, "mornin... hun", she let the word hang between them, loving the way his eyes lit up when she called him that, it was their little secret word, ordinary, but meant so much to both of them. Then he bent to kiss her, pulling her up against his body, and the early wake up slipped out of focus as they explored each other, making love with a slow intensity.

Afterwards, they lay tangled up together, not wanting to let go, waiting for the alarm to go off, and wishing that it wouldn't. Jo laid her cheek against Stuart's hair, whilst he nuzzled her neck, and held her close. She supposed that she loved this part best of all, whatever her orientation, the closeness that she felt in Stuart's arms, knowing that this difficult, complex and interesting man loved her, made all the difference. Her arms were round his neck, and she squeezed a little, hugging him closer. She moved one hand and stroked his bare shoulder again, _strange the things which bring us together,_ loving the contrast between them, his tanned olive skin against her creamy skin... the shrillness of the alarm most unwelcome.

Reluctantly they broke apart, Mai would be getting up and Stuart didn't really want her to catch them both naked. He grabbed his robe and dived for the shower, whilst Jo made breakfast.

* * *

"Have you got everything?" Stuart knelt in front of Mai, doing up her school coat, whilst trying to remember what it was that she needed for today.

"I need kit." Mai pouted, she really didn't like PE, the boys were big and rough, and some of the other girls too.

"Kit??" Stuart racked his brains, "Oh, Mai," he said ruefully, "you pick your moments."

"In the drier. All done." Jo handed him the bag. "Good thing some of us are awake, huh!" She winked at Mai, and ruffled Stuart's hair. Mai giggled and winked back. Stuart sighed, authority had gone to pot, and he knew when he was outnumbered. Perversely, it felt good, being outnumbered.

"Okay, school." Stuart stood up. Pulled Jo to him, kissed her, "I'll see you, later." he promised.

Then Mai's little hand firmly clutched in his large one, he was out the door, and heading for his car.

Jo watched them go, marvelling at how good this all felt, their bizarre relationship, this weird semi family dynamic that they'd built up in a few short weeks. _Wherever this is going, we make a good team._ She smiled, content to just let things happen.


	10. Who's your Daddy?

_It's big cheesy grin time... and the consequences are..._

* * *

Jo stood in the bathroom and stared at the plastic applicator in her hand. For one long moment, she simply couldn't process the information. A hand reached over her to the toothbrushes, and he dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder at the same time, registered what she was holding in her hand... they looked at each other in the mirror in front of them.

Jo turned around, looked up into his face, as he gathered her close.

Wary, she studied his expression, "How do you feel?"

"We're having a baby, Jo." Stuart felt a mixture of excitement, slight disbelief, and then a cloud loomed on the horizon, _Sam._ He crushed Jo to him, dropped a kiss on her head, while Jo wriggled in his arms "Stuart, we're having a baby, people have babies every day, there's no need to squeeze me to death."

"WE'RE HAVING A BABY." He squeezed her again, and Jo sighed, when she'd first done the test and it had come back positive she'd hoped his reaction would be positive, _perhaps not this positive, my ribs hurt, _but he was definitely excited about the idea. One cloud loomed, Sam. Her friend, Sam Nixon, her lover's former lover, who'd loved and lost.

Jo put her hand up to Stuart's cheek, "Sam" she said.

"I know." The pain in Stuart's eyes wasn't feigned, he felt really guilty about his part in his disastrous relationship with Sam. "How are we going to tell her?"

Jo was both reassured by the we in Stuart's question, and slightly flummoxed by the need to inform CID of what was going on. "First things first, hun, don't you think we should tell someone else?"

"Mai?"

"Exactly." Jo looked up at his confused expression and sighed, she saw that that one was probably going to fall to her. Stuart had that confused and slightly desperate look on his face which said, I have no idea how to handle this, you do it.

She needn't have worried, Mai was nearly as excited as Stuart. Though the idea of another baby to Mai, meant that their unconventional family was a permanent arrangement. Which wasn't quite the meaning Jo had wanted to convey.

* * *

Walking into CID that morning, Jo pondered her options. She had to get an appointment with the doctor to confirm everything. Then she would have to tell someone in the top brass, which meant DI or above. DCI would be best, she reasoned. Jack Meadows was experienced enough to keep the information quiet while she worked out some of the details in her head, and he wouldn't be emotionally attached in quite the same way as telling Sam or Neil.

"Guv, can I have a word," _there it's said, before I can chicken out._

"Sure." Jack stepped back and let her pass.

He waved her to the chair opposite his and sat down. Jo cleared her throat, looked down at her hands, then straight at him. "There isn't a particularly easy way to say this," she lifted her chin a little, defense against a negative response, or incredulity, she wasn't really sure, "I'm pregnant." _There, now I've said it._

Jack Meadows' eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. That was the one and only thing he never expected to hear from DC Jo Masters. _Who's the father?_ He bit back the question before he said it, suddenly unsure that he even wanted to know, and certain that the question was far too intrusive.

He swallowed, cleared his throat and tried to come up with the least controversial thing he could say "are you sure?"

She thought about it for a second. "Yes."

"How long?" he waved his hand, feeling mostly at a loss, because all the words that were in his mind were at best insulting and at worst downright invasive of Jo's privacy.

"Quite a while yet, I'm only in the early stages." Jo looked down at her hands. "Guv," she looked him right in the eye, "no one else knows, except the father, and I would like to keep it that way for a while."

"Okay. I was going to move you straight to desk work, but if you feel that's wrong, I'll go along with it," Jack looked stern for a moment, "but at the first hint that you might be at risk, I'm pulling you back to a desk."

Jo sighed, "Alright." She stood to go, "thanks, Guv."

Jack nodded. Watched her leave the office, watched her as she exchanged glances with DS Stuart Turner. For a moment he wondered, _Stuart and Jo._ Jack shook his head, _not a chance._

* * *

Stuart headed for the coffee machine, he'd been on top of the world all morning, his caseload appeared to be a lot less dull than it had been, paperwork was a breeze, he was really on form, his regular spot on Wanted was filming after work and Stuart did enjoy the adulation, which Mai's presence had only increased... only now he wasn't interested... he had so much more to look forward to.

Jo joined him, "I want to talk to you..."

"What about."

"Will you tone it down a bit, you're bouncing around like Tigger on speed." she hissed. "People will get suspicious."

He slid his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. "About what?"

Jo swatted at him with the file she was carrying, "us..." she couldn't help herself, she grinned back at him, "idiot..." she said fondly.

He let her go and backed up the corridor, spreading his hands wide in mock surrender, "as you wish, ma'am."

"DS Turner." the voice behind his left ear was not entirely welcome, "I find it helps if you look where you're going."

Stuart winced "Sorry, Ma'am." Inspector Gina Gold didn't suffer fools gladly and he'd just made a bit of an idiot of himself, oddly enough his dignity didn't even feel dented. He smiled what he hoped was an ingratiating smile "it won't happen again Ma'am."

Gina Gold's lips twitched ever so slightly, "See it doesn't." but the tone was as stern as ever. Relieved, Stuart slipped past her and headed for the car park.

For a moment, Gina stood and wondered about what she'd seen. _Stuart and Jo?_ She shook her head, _not a chance._

* * *

Jo sipped her coffee and wondered about her next move. _This was the tricky bit, not only admitting to Sam that she was "seeing" Stuart, but that she was pregnant with Stuart's child_. And how to do it without inflicting hurt on her friend.

Sam Nixon had watched Stuart bouncing around like a champagne cork in a barrel, and wondered what on earth had made him that happy.She noticed the way he kept looking across the room at Jo and wondered for a moment. _Stuart and Jo? Am I out of my mind..._ a small part of her still ached over the end of her affair with Stuart, neither of them had handled it particularly well. For the first time she wondered if he'd been more hurt by the painful aftermath than she'd thought.

She'd been aware for some time that he had someone in his life, he had been keeping a very low profile, but the signs were all there. Up until today, she hadn't really wondered who it was, now her curiosity was piqued. So she watched him, and Jo, and suddenly her crazy thought didn't seem so crazy any more. They liked each other, they got on well, Stuart was less arrogant around Jo, and she seemed to enjoy being in his company, Sam was stunned by the idea that her ex boyfriend and her best girlfriend had somehow got it together.

Jo interrupted this reverie. "Sam, can we talk a moment." Sam looked up, startled. "umm... oh, yes, sure." Jo pushed the door shut, thankful that Neil was out of the office for a while. She sat down.

"Sam." Jo spread her hands out, looked down at them, _damn this is hard._ "Sam, I..." she trailed off, took a deep breath, _just say it, _"I'm pregnant."

Sam's jaw dropped, coming on top of the crazy idea that came into her head earlier, this was a humdinger. "Jo...congratulations... does any one else know?" she managed after a moment. "When's the baby due?"

Jo took another deep breath. "There's no easy way to say this, Sam." She looked her friend in the eye,

"Stuart's the baby's father." Sam finished for her. Realising that she knew the answer to all the furtive glances, and Stuart's current state of happiness, which seemed ready to take over the world.

Jo winced. "Never could keep anything from you." She sought her friend's face for signs of sorrow or anger, but found neither. Sam reached out and clasped Jo's hand, "I'm happy for you, if this is what you want. How did Stuart react," painfully aware that she already knew the answer to that.

"Enthusiastically." Jo smiled ruefully. "He nearly broke three of my ribs." On impulse she turned her hand and clasped Sam's fingers in return, "he really regrets he was such an idiot with you, and that he wasn't there when you needed him."

Sam nodded, too full to speak without making a fool of herself. Glad for Jo and for Stuart, but with the tiny ache still in the corner of her heart for what might have been.

"We're keeping it quiet for now." Jo said.

Sam looked out the window, Stuart leaning back on his chair, feet up on the bottom drawer of his desk, idly leafing through a file. "Are you really sure about that?" She said.

Jo followed her gaze, and sighed. "He's not being very discreet is he?"

"Well he hasn't hired a brass band and run it up the flag pole yet, but he's fairly on the way." Sam grinned at her friend.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Jo asked

"I'm sure." Sam looked at her friend. "Okay, it will take some getting used to, and a bit of getting over too," she admitted, "but I'm happy for you ... and for our cocky Detective Sergeant Turner too."

"You won't say anything."

"You didn't have to ask. Although I would point out that there will come a time when it will be advertising itself."

"I'm just not that ready for the full on Sun Hill gossip mill, and when they find out who the father is, we'll never hear the end of it..."


End file.
